Silence in court! Discuss The Archers and shout from the gallery here. Send him down.

[PseudoBadger]

What day is it again?

Does the jury have notes or a tape of the evidence to refer back to, maybe theres some key stuff we've not heard?

Really disappointing episode tonight. Surely we could have had less time with Rob waffling on about how he's so attractive to unstable women and hear Anna cross question him? Surely she would have questioned him?

Whoever does downfall is bloody brilliant. That one is 5 months old, wish he'd do an update.

Cross examine I mean!

That was so disappointing. The end of the trial, just when it seemed to be warming up nicely. And so much that should have happened clearly didn't. Even if you discount all the stuff we know and Anna doesn't, surely to goodness she would have called an expert witness to talk about the nature of abuse and the effect it has on the behaviour of victims, to make clear that Helen's actions and responses (like not instantly calling an ambulance and telling everyone what had happened) were entirely explicable. If that had happened off stage we really should have heard her remind the jury about it, instead of the lame generalisations we heard. She must have had the chance to cross-examine Rob when he was on the stand, surely? We needed to hear that. How can SOC justify messing us all about for months just for this? I am seriously pissed off now - and I was just starting to forgive him a bit because the first few trial episodes were so good. Is that really all there is?

I suspect Jess would have done a SW degree. Once she'd graduated, she would be eligible for registration as a social worker.

And what was the bloody point of the twatting juror?

Just a little cliffhanger until next day. BAH!

I'm hoping that the jurors will refer to some of the unheard-by-us evidence. Surely Anna cross examined Knob.

glamorousgrandmother

Yes, I also heard Kiranjit Ahluwalia on PM & was very moved by her story. There were a lot of parallels with Helen, I thought. Glad she was eventually freed

Astounded at the jury casting! Roll on the post-SOC world and some sort of normality.

And what was the bloody point of the twatting juror?

I assumed this was their public information effort.

I suspect 'twatting juror' is a ploy to make us feel even more nervous for Helen! We know we haven't heard everything. We're supposed to be worried now about what we've missed.

Yes, very disappointing. I wanted Bruce locked up for contempt, to hear Neil, to hear some Ambridgers chatting, to hear Anna questioning Knob, etc.. They ought to have had us lots as advisers.

Also, if H is found guilty of the lesser charge, isn't that still a longer sentence than the 5 months she's been on remand? At least now she'll get visits from her mother, Henry and Kirsty though.

SaratheFairy

"I suspect Jess would have done a SW degree. Once she'd graduated, she would be eligible for registration as a social worker"

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think UG SW degrees existed when Jess was 18. They were only introduced in 2003 (I only know because DD2, born 1985, was one of the earliest to do one).

Before that I think there must have been diplomas and/or on the job training followed by a masters.

So what did Jess do at uni & how did she qualify in USA/Canada?

More (standard) poor research by TA, I fear

When Rob talked about Jess's allegation that he fathered her child, Rob said "I'd taken precautions". I hope Anna picked him up on what was on any interpretation an admission that he slept with Jess at the relevant time and after he'd begun living with Helen.

Re: Jess and Social Worker qualifications - one of my first temp jobs after I graduated (in an unrelated subject) in 1978, was working at the Central Council for the Education and Training of Social workers, making sure exams had been correctly graded. According to Wikipedia, "CCETSW was, from 1970 to 2001, the statutory authority charged with promoting education and training in social work, recognising courses and awarding qualifications throughout the United Kingdom."
HTH.

Well quite, Judy. I couldn't understand why they included something so useful but did nothing with it.

It's hard to see how he can live in Ambridge in the future. I guess we are going to be in for months of wrangling over custody, implications for Jess, Ian etc. Hope we here from Kaz again though.

I know, Judy, from being quite impressed on Tuesday, I'm now wishing I hadn't bothered to listen after tonight.

I shared a house with someone doing social work - academic year 1995-96. I think it was a PGDip of some sort.

Harrumph. But quite a parallel with Tony being the one to break down. I felt a bit for Tom too when Tony was so over the moon to see son of perfect John when Tom has been an absolute rock through this.

Judy, i noticed that too. I assume SOC has/had a timeline thing on his wall in TA production office, and a crucial page has fallen off.

Like I said yesterday, Knob will be utterly shameless and continue to try to muscle in on Ambridge life. A few will be against him - though i can't think who really. I wonder what Susan will really think now. She won't necessarily agree with Helen's evidence, sadly.And she is the best candidate for victim blaming. I hope Pat sacks her from the dairy if she continues to be spiteful.

SORRY, that should read 'a few will NOT be against him'

Watch out Charlotte your days of innocence are numbered when Rob gets home in a filthy mood. Unless you read and watch the news, in which case you'll be off faster than a ferret up a pair of Grange Farm trousers.

I'm profoundly glad I haven't been on any of those three juries with SOC

What a frustrating episode that was. Especially hearing Knob smugly explain that he couldn't be Ethan's father because he 'took precautions' during his encounter with Jess - I so wanted to hear Anna cross-examine and force him to admit that he was supposedly in a committed relationship with Helen at the time, the woman he claims to love so very, very much. Scumbag.